This past weekend I had the opportunity to rent both the NEC LT150 and VT540 projectors for trial in my home theater. I know the LT150 is discontinued and is in very limited supply in Canada so I wanted to check out this unit before I lost my chance to buy one.
This is a report of my findings and opinions. Please understand that these views are based on my own personal tastes and likes. Both units are excellent products and I’m certain the owners of each are very happy with their decision.
I unfortunately do not have a HTPC at this time. It may be a future investment, but for my testing I purchased a JVC XV-S60BK which is their new progressive scan DVD player based on their XV-D721BK. Both DVD players received very good reviews from a number of sources.
My theater has very good light control, medium brown walls and floor, and a white tile drop ceiling. The ceiling was the biggest problem and one I will have to deal with later. My screen was a sheet of white cotton with little or no glare or sheen. The screen was 80†across for 16:9 content. Viewing distance was 12’ to 14’.
DVD content included the following; Toy Story 2 (for colors), Star Trek Insurrection (for the opening scene – interlacing vs progressive scan), Lost in Space (dark scenes and special affects), Armageddon (special effects), Gladiator (dark scenes), and other DVDs not worth mentioning.
I constructed a cable to connect the component video from the DVD player to the projector.
In general both projectors perform very well with the progressive scan player, however, I would not say excellent. I will explain later.
Here are points I noted:
Cost; At this time the VT540 is selling about $1000CAN more than the LT150. Something to consider in the decision. Both are reasonably priced in my opinion.
Contrast; LT150 definitely had better contrast. This should come as no surprise. I did determine that I could live with the contrast of the VT540.
Color; VT540 had more vibrate colors than the LT150. Again, I could live with the LT150 colors; they were very true on all DVDs tested. The colors of the VT540 gave an excellent impact to Toy Story 2.
Rainbows with LT150; Very noticeable on certain scenes in Gladiator and Lost in Space (dark scenes with some light objects). Not so noticeable on most other content. Something I think I can live with, however, I believe I began to suffer a small amount of eye fatigue caused by rainbows while watching Gladiator. I would be more concerned about how others might be affected by rainbows since there will be more than me using the theater.
Screendoor; At first I was confusing screendoor with scaling artifacts (explained later). The LT150 had no visible screendoor at 12’ or 14’ from the 80†width screen. The VT540 had some noticeable screendoor on solid bright colors, but not bad enough for me to reject; it’s something I could live with.
Halo; Very noticeable halo with the LT150. No real halo (except for the grey top and bottom bars) with the VT540. I honestly have to say that the LT150 halo was actually distracting at times. I could see myself installing dark masks if I were to select that unit.
Dust blob; The VT540 had this unusual round spot about 1’ in diameter on the 80†screen. It was only noticeable when there was no input and the projector was projecting a totally blank screen. I can only assume it was dust based on descriptions I’ve read on this forum.
Fan noise; Ouch for the LT150. I can see why there is so much discussion about hush boxes for this little unit. I was blown away by the noise when I set the LT150 for ceiling mount. I thought the sound from the films would drown it out, but during quiet scenes I found it very distracting. The VT540 was much more reasonable especially when set to econo mode.
General image brightness. I found the VT540 to product a brighter image than the LT150 even when the VT540 was in econo mode. I guess a high gain screen might improve things with the LT150 as discussed in various places on this forum.
Zoom lens. Very nice feature of the VT540. For a home theater I think it’s a must if the unit is permanently installed. I plan to install my projector fixed on the ceiling.
Bulb life. The advantage that the VT540 has in this area is significant. Its life is three times that of the LT150. This has to be factored in when considering cost differences.
De-interlacing. The difference in picture quality was significant when I switched the player from interlaced to progressive thus proving both units have very poor de-interlacers.
Scaling artifacts. I mentioned earlier that I think I mistook scaling artifacts for screendoor. On both units I could notice jaggies on either diagonal lines (white against dark or dark against white), or on transitions from light to dark (Woody’s eyes in Toy Story 2; the dark pupils against the white of the eyes). It was very distracting on both projectors. In another posting on this forum I had mentioned this problem and thought it may have been caused by the resolution of the projector; the number of pixels were simply not enough to provide a smooth image. However, a few people commented on they forum that they did not see jaggies when they used a HTPC. This probably makes sense because of the analog to digital conversions, however, I cannot pass judgement until I see a HTPC on one of these units myself.
The scaling artifacts (if that is what they are) were the biggest disappointment for me. I am thinking about an HTPC for my theatre, however, I would prefer the DVD player for lower cost and user friendless (family has to use this). Because of the scaling artifacts I will not be taking the plung for either unit at this time until I can see for myself the improvement with an HTPC.
The big question. Which unit would I purchase if the scaling artifacts were not an issue. It’s not an easy one to answer. Both units have their strengths and quirks. However, if the HTPC provides equal improvement in picture quality for both I would have to say I would choose the VT540 even though it’s about $1000CAN more than the LT150. My reasons follow:
1. Bulb life. The increased cost of the VT540 will pay for itself in bulbs after about three years with my viewing habits.
2. Fan noise. Seriously a problem with the LT150. I’m sure a hush box is the answer, however I don’t want the hassle of mounting and installing something else on a nice clean drop ceiling.
3. Zoom lens. There will be some content that I will want to reduce in size on my screen. The VT540’s zoom lens makes it much more versatile. I can see why the new release of the LT150 will have one.
4. Color. Nicer on the VT540 although the LT150’s color is very good.
5. Halo. LT150’s halo was very distracting.
Regarding factors such as rainbow and screendoor. It seems I can live with either. I honestly don’t like screendoor when I can see it, however, from my viewing distance it wasn’t an issue.
Where do I go from here? I hoping to get in-home demonstrations of higher end units from Sanyo, Toshiba, and Sony with the progressive scan DVD player. I am also hoping to see either the LT150 or VT540 with an HTPC; I might be convinced to take the HTPC plunge with the VT540 if the scaling artifacts disappear.
One word of advise to anyone looking for a projector. I personally wouldn’t purchase sight unseen. I would have been very disappointed had I purchased either of these units and coupled it with the DVD player without first trying them in my home first. It’s a big investment and one you will probably have to live with for a while. Many of the reviews on forums such as avsforum are excellent, however, we are all individuals with different tastes and expectations.
In the meantime, I’ll save my money and keep looking.
The opinions expressed in this review are based on my own personal tastes and likes.
------------------
Still looking for that Home Theatre.
This is a report of my findings and opinions. Please understand that these views are based on my own personal tastes and likes. Both units are excellent products and I’m certain the owners of each are very happy with their decision.
I unfortunately do not have a HTPC at this time. It may be a future investment, but for my testing I purchased a JVC XV-S60BK which is their new progressive scan DVD player based on their XV-D721BK. Both DVD players received very good reviews from a number of sources.
My theater has very good light control, medium brown walls and floor, and a white tile drop ceiling. The ceiling was the biggest problem and one I will have to deal with later. My screen was a sheet of white cotton with little or no glare or sheen. The screen was 80†across for 16:9 content. Viewing distance was 12’ to 14’.
DVD content included the following; Toy Story 2 (for colors), Star Trek Insurrection (for the opening scene – interlacing vs progressive scan), Lost in Space (dark scenes and special affects), Armageddon (special effects), Gladiator (dark scenes), and other DVDs not worth mentioning.
I constructed a cable to connect the component video from the DVD player to the projector.
In general both projectors perform very well with the progressive scan player, however, I would not say excellent. I will explain later.
Here are points I noted:
Cost; At this time the VT540 is selling about $1000CAN more than the LT150. Something to consider in the decision. Both are reasonably priced in my opinion.
Contrast; LT150 definitely had better contrast. This should come as no surprise. I did determine that I could live with the contrast of the VT540.
Color; VT540 had more vibrate colors than the LT150. Again, I could live with the LT150 colors; they were very true on all DVDs tested. The colors of the VT540 gave an excellent impact to Toy Story 2.
Rainbows with LT150; Very noticeable on certain scenes in Gladiator and Lost in Space (dark scenes with some light objects). Not so noticeable on most other content. Something I think I can live with, however, I believe I began to suffer a small amount of eye fatigue caused by rainbows while watching Gladiator. I would be more concerned about how others might be affected by rainbows since there will be more than me using the theater.
Screendoor; At first I was confusing screendoor with scaling artifacts (explained later). The LT150 had no visible screendoor at 12’ or 14’ from the 80†width screen. The VT540 had some noticeable screendoor on solid bright colors, but not bad enough for me to reject; it’s something I could live with.
Halo; Very noticeable halo with the LT150. No real halo (except for the grey top and bottom bars) with the VT540. I honestly have to say that the LT150 halo was actually distracting at times. I could see myself installing dark masks if I were to select that unit.
Dust blob; The VT540 had this unusual round spot about 1’ in diameter on the 80†screen. It was only noticeable when there was no input and the projector was projecting a totally blank screen. I can only assume it was dust based on descriptions I’ve read on this forum.
Fan noise; Ouch for the LT150. I can see why there is so much discussion about hush boxes for this little unit. I was blown away by the noise when I set the LT150 for ceiling mount. I thought the sound from the films would drown it out, but during quiet scenes I found it very distracting. The VT540 was much more reasonable especially when set to econo mode.
General image brightness. I found the VT540 to product a brighter image than the LT150 even when the VT540 was in econo mode. I guess a high gain screen might improve things with the LT150 as discussed in various places on this forum.
Zoom lens. Very nice feature of the VT540. For a home theater I think it’s a must if the unit is permanently installed. I plan to install my projector fixed on the ceiling.
Bulb life. The advantage that the VT540 has in this area is significant. Its life is three times that of the LT150. This has to be factored in when considering cost differences.
De-interlacing. The difference in picture quality was significant when I switched the player from interlaced to progressive thus proving both units have very poor de-interlacers.
Scaling artifacts. I mentioned earlier that I think I mistook scaling artifacts for screendoor. On both units I could notice jaggies on either diagonal lines (white against dark or dark against white), or on transitions from light to dark (Woody’s eyes in Toy Story 2; the dark pupils against the white of the eyes). It was very distracting on both projectors. In another posting on this forum I had mentioned this problem and thought it may have been caused by the resolution of the projector; the number of pixels were simply not enough to provide a smooth image. However, a few people commented on they forum that they did not see jaggies when they used a HTPC. This probably makes sense because of the analog to digital conversions, however, I cannot pass judgement until I see a HTPC on one of these units myself.
The scaling artifacts (if that is what they are) were the biggest disappointment for me. I am thinking about an HTPC for my theatre, however, I would prefer the DVD player for lower cost and user friendless (family has to use this). Because of the scaling artifacts I will not be taking the plung for either unit at this time until I can see for myself the improvement with an HTPC.
The big question. Which unit would I purchase if the scaling artifacts were not an issue. It’s not an easy one to answer. Both units have their strengths and quirks. However, if the HTPC provides equal improvement in picture quality for both I would have to say I would choose the VT540 even though it’s about $1000CAN more than the LT150. My reasons follow:
1. Bulb life. The increased cost of the VT540 will pay for itself in bulbs after about three years with my viewing habits.
2. Fan noise. Seriously a problem with the LT150. I’m sure a hush box is the answer, however I don’t want the hassle of mounting and installing something else on a nice clean drop ceiling.
3. Zoom lens. There will be some content that I will want to reduce in size on my screen. The VT540’s zoom lens makes it much more versatile. I can see why the new release of the LT150 will have one.
4. Color. Nicer on the VT540 although the LT150’s color is very good.
5. Halo. LT150’s halo was very distracting.
Regarding factors such as rainbow and screendoor. It seems I can live with either. I honestly don’t like screendoor when I can see it, however, from my viewing distance it wasn’t an issue.
Where do I go from here? I hoping to get in-home demonstrations of higher end units from Sanyo, Toshiba, and Sony with the progressive scan DVD player. I am also hoping to see either the LT150 or VT540 with an HTPC; I might be convinced to take the HTPC plunge with the VT540 if the scaling artifacts disappear.
One word of advise to anyone looking for a projector. I personally wouldn’t purchase sight unseen. I would have been very disappointed had I purchased either of these units and coupled it with the DVD player without first trying them in my home first. It’s a big investment and one you will probably have to live with for a while. Many of the reviews on forums such as avsforum are excellent, however, we are all individuals with different tastes and expectations.
In the meantime, I’ll save my money and keep looking.
The opinions expressed in this review are based on my own personal tastes and likes.
------------------
Still looking for that Home Theatre.
I think it's basically a personal preference between DLP and LCD. DLP has the 35 mm film like effect (high speed strobe, smooth imaging) while LCD has digital effect (sharp, vibrant colors). If you suffer rainbows, you'd better go with LCD. If you don't go with DLP like me 
